It’s been a while since “Super Mario” was great, but one thing he should have, Mario Balotelli gives absolutely everything. The Italian striker has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract after a short stint with Genoa in Serie A.
Mario Balotelli’s (35) career has taken another sharp turn. Since his time at Manchester City, where he spent three seasons, the Italian striker has never been able to find stability at any other club.
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Neither in his native Italy – where he has played for five clubs (Inter, Milan, Brescia, AC Monza and Genoa) – nor abroad, whether in Europe or elsewhere.
In the 2023/24 season, “Super Mario” played for Adana Demirspor in the Turkish second division, while in the 2022/23 season he played for Swiss club FC Sion.
At his last club, Genoa in Serie A, he failed to make his mark and did not score a single goal throughout the season and only played six games in the red-blue shirt.
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According to Italian news source Di Marzio, Balotelli is now ready to sign for Al-Ittifaq from Dubai, after the transfer was finalized in the last few hours.
The striker has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, with the official announcement expected on January 12.
Balotelli is scheduled to travel to Dubai on Friday, January 9, where he will meet his new teammates and begin this final chapter of his career.
Di Marzio also reports that the deal was completed thanks to Andrea Falco, a key figure in Al-Ittifaq’s sporting management following the club’s recent change of ownership. Balotelli’s signing marks the club’s first official acquisition since new president Pietro Laterza took control in September 2025.
A new adventure begins for “Super Mario”, who continues to add to an already long list of clubs. Whether this will finally be the place where he finds his footing, remains to be seen.
